Love And Longing For GOD's Temple

 "My soul yearns; pines,

for the courts of YAHWEH.

My heart and my flesh

cry out for the living GOD.

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest

where she may lay her young,

at YOUR altars, O YAHWEH of hosts,

my King and my GOD!

They go from strength to strength

till they appear before GOD in Zion.

One day in YOUR courts is better 

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be left at the threshold

in the house of my GOD

than to dwell in the tents of the wicked."

- Psalm 84:3. 4. 5-6. 8. 11

(The home of GOD on earth!  What can this mean?  There can be no change in GOD.  HE cannot move into a new house.  No, the change is in human things!  GOD is everywhere already but consecrates certain places, where people can meet HIM and feel HIS presence more intimately.  There is a power there, without which, not a sparrow falls to the ground, but also a peace that encourages the sparrow to build its nest.  Such a home of GOD, stood on the hill of Zion.  It is a weary climb for the pilgrim at the end of his journey but strengthening him when he paused to raise his eyes.  The end of every pilgrimage lies further off, and it is a very weary climb for all.  Our city is heaven, but in a sense it is here too: 'you came near to Mount Zion, the city of the living GOD' [Hebrews 12:22], because the Word was made flesh and dwell among us: in a new sense the earth is the LORD's. 

There are people who visit the Temple; but do not enjoy the love of GOD, who dwells therein.  They do not experience a transformation of conduct because they placed their trust in the Temple of GOD, not in the GOD of the Temple.  This psalm can come with us, when we go on pilgrimages and religious festivals.

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